


I Never Mentioned Love

by kimikalX



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Aged Up, Akira wants the baby, Angst, Child Abandonment, Established Relationship, Goro doesn't want it, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Married Life, Multi, Post Royal, Unhealthy Relationships, baby related fluff, it's not going to be pretty, mentions of child neglect and abuse, persona 5 royal spoilers, this fic may be a parent au but it's still centered around their relationship, what if shuake went to a bar and the bartender was fate and gave them a baby instead of a drink
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2020-11-30
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:14:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27684085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kimikalX/pseuds/kimikalX
Summary: He opens the door to find the source of the noise. He looks down and sees a small box with the top flaps slightly open. His eyes narrow at the sight and his expression turns into a scowl when he hears the same high pitched sound emerging from the box.He slams the door shut. The baby still crying behind it."AKIRA?! WHY IS THERE A BABY ON OUR DOORSTEP?!"
Relationships: Akechi Goro & Takamaki Ann, Akechi Goro & Yoshizawa Sumire | Yoshizawa Kasumi, Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Kurusu Akira & Sakamoto Ryuji, Kurusu Akira & Takamaki Ann, Sakamoto Ryuji/Takamaki Ann
Comments: 54
Kudos: 153





	1. That Thing

**Author's Note:**

> CW: Certain scenes and dialogue may be seen as abusive, so read on the side of caution.
> 
> i know that it's a popular hc that akira and goro would opt to not have kids, and i agree. but what if. just what if. fate decided to say fuck you and screw over these boys again.
> 
> Title from 'Legally Blonde' from the Legally Blonde Broadway Musical

Goro was in the middle of his evening skincare routine when he faintly hears the sound of high-pitched wailing outside their apartment. Akira's unfortunately still taking his time on the toilet with his toothbrush in his mouth, so he'll have to take care of it.

Still wearing his rejuvenating face mask, Goro opens the door to find the source of the noise. At first, he sees no one, but the wailing persists. His attention is drawn down where he sees a small box with the top flaps slightly open. His eyes narrow at the sight and his expression turns into a scowl when he hears the same high pitched sound emerging from the box. He slams the door shut. The crying behind it still on full blast.

"AKIRA?! WHY IS THERE A BABY ON OUR DOORSTEP?!"

Akira peaks from the bathroom door with a toothbrush in his mouth. "A whah?!"

Goro's scowl deepens. "You heard me, you imbecile. There is a living, breathing child on the other side of our front door and I am not particularly inclined to take it in."

Akira's eyes widen. He quickly gargles and stands briefly from the toilet to spit into the sink. "GORO, IT IS RAINING OUTSIDE! GET THAT THING IN BEFORE IT CATCHES A COLD. WE'LL DEAL WITH WHAT TO DO WITH IT LATER!"

Goro's eyes widen at the command on his way back to the bathroom. He did not want to take that baby in. He did not want kids and that hasn't changed. "Akira, I am not taking that _thing_ in!"

A particularly intense glare from Akira results in Goro stomping back to their front door. He breathes in deeply in dreadful anticipation. The baby's cries have become louder. 

_Oh, I am going to hate this._ He thinks to himself.

He opens the door and looks down at the box, the baby seems to be mocking him with its crying. With a big, resigned sigh, he lifts the box and takes it into the warmth of his home. When he first realized what the contents of the box were, he was filled with instant dread. The thought of this baby being anything more than temporary did not make him happy. He and Akira had been living in this apartment for a few years now. They’ve gotten very comfortable already but not without a lot of difficulty on Goro’s part. He’s lived his whole life alone and has thrived off living alone. Akira was the only exception to this. What more a child?

* * *

Akira takes care of warming the child and lulling it to sleep. Goro watches from the side. He doesn't really want to partake in caring for the baby. Partly because he really doesn't like children, and partly because he doesn't know how to handle them. At least Akira does, though. The crying has settled and is now replaced by tiny snores and gentle breathing.

"I wonder who left it here. Who would just leave a child on someone else's doorstep? And in the rain for that matter?" Akira wonders disapprovingly.

Goro sighs leaning on the wall. "I don't know. Some lowlife mother who had a child without being capable of taking care of it, so she decided to leave it at the doorstep of a childless couple?" Akira turns to frown at him.

"Don't say that.” Akira whips his head around to face Goro. “You don't know her reasons. She might not have had a choice. She left it in the hands of people she felt could give it a home—"

"—Or she thought we were pitiful for being together so long but not having a family due to human biology working against us." Goro says as he stands up straight. "I don't fancy having decisions being made for me, and this woman decided to thrust this child upon us."

Perhaps if he and Akira had made the decision to go to an orphanage and adopt a baby, he wouldn't be this sour about the situation, but no. Somebody decided that _they'd_ take the baby off of their hands, as if caring for a baby was a decision they could make in a snap. It's not even just a temporary thing. There was no letter, no supplies, not even a card with the baby's name on it. Just a baby inside a box and Goro didn't know what to do with it.

Akira's frown remains. He looks at the sleeping baby, cooped up in a few layers of their softest blankets and pillows. It looks maybe about 2-3 months old? Still quite small with a small tuft of black hair on its head, and its neck still needs to be fully supported. It's utterly helpless in this state and Akira can't help but think about the horror stories that he's heard from Goro about the foster system. 

"Would you rather it go to an orphanage?"

_Fucking hell, Akira._

Goro scowls. He hates it when Akira knows what buttons to push. How Goro knows firsthand how shitty the system is and how it works against "undesirable" children. You grow up in an overcrowded building with little to no privacy or possessions, you go to a local public school where the education is free because the orphanage doesn't have the budget to give everyone quality education, and you rot in your bed until you turn eighteen, by which you'll be kicked out and you'll have to fend for yourself.

Goro was lucky enough to get chosen by a family when he was younger, but he ended up getting tossed from household to household because he was deemed difficult or something. Goro didn't understand at the time and he won't bother to now. All he knows is that nobody ever really wanted him until Shido did for his Metaverse abilities. Tch, and what a fucking life that was.

Truthfully, he did not want the kid to grow up in the system. He'd rather kiss Shido's boot than subject this baby to a childhood being unwanted and forced to grow up too soon. Not that he’d say that aloud. But he also didn't want to dedicate his life to it. He was finally happy now. His life with Akira is the happiest he's ever been and he wouldn't dream of changing it. And here comes this child, like a wrench in gears. Threatening to ruin the life he and Akira built for themselves.

He looks at Akira with a pensive look. Akira is staring at the child with the most endearing face.

_Oh no._

"Akira, I know that face. Don't say it. Don't even _think_ about it. We are _not_ adopting this child."

Akira whips his head to look at his husband. "Do you really want him to go to an orphanage?!" He asks accusingly.

Goro scowls. He didn't say _that,_ but he doesn't want the child here. Literally, anywhere but here would be better. "What if we give it to Takamaki and Sakamoto?"

Akira's eyebrow raises. "They already have three children, Goro."

"What's one more?"

"No."

"Okay, what about Nijima and Okumura? Surely the good cop bad cop dynamic would ensure the kid gets raised by a balanced set of parents that both spoil and deprive it of its wants." Goro says, convincing not even himself.

"They travel the world too often. They're not rooted down enough to take care of another human being. Speaking of which, the baby isn't an _it_. Just use 'he' for now, at least until we figure out his gender." Akira says looking back at the baby with the most disgusting look Goro has ever seen on his idiot of a husband. Utter softness.

There are only two faces Goro has a hard time saying no to. Akira's and Sumire's. Occasionally Ann’s, but he's not going to tell her that. Right now, Goro is wondering if he'd be willing to see Akira be upset over this child being given to the foster system or if he's willing to put up with it for the time being.

Goro sighs and runs his fingers through his hair. It's well past his bedtime now and finishing his beauty routine would take too much time out of his sleeping schedule. Damn face masks. This child is already ruining his life and it's— _he's—_ only been here for what? Thirty minutes?

"Fine."

Akira blinks up at him. "What?"

"We keep the child. But only until we can find him a better family. That baby better be gone in a few days. A week at most. I don't want to dedicate my life to a child I do not want. Are we clear?" Goro states firmly.

Akira shoots up from his spot on the floor and rushes to hug Goro, lifting his body from the ground and kissing his cheek. "I love you."

Goro's already regretting it.

"What should we call him?" Akira asks looking back at the sleeping baby. His eyes shining with excitement.

Hoo boy. It hasn't even been an hour and Akira's already fallen down the rabbit hole. Goro needs to stop him, otherwise Akira will get even more attached and it'll be harder for him to let the baby go.

"Uh-uh. No names. Once you name him, you'll get attached. We agreed that this is only a temporary thing. I don't want your brainless sentimentality to act up again." Goro warns coldly.

Akira doesn't look back at him. He's still staring at the snoring being near the heater. For a brief moment, Goro catches him gurgle slightly and lick his lips before returning to his peaceful slumber. Goro sighs, turns his back to this pitiful scene, and goes to bed. Akira's soft heart is going to get the better of him again, isn't it?

"Goro, wait!"

He stops right by their bedroom door.

"We need supplies. We have nothing here that can care for a baby. W-we need diapers, feeding bottles, hypoallergenic towels, milk— Oh god, we need a lot of milk— Can you help me?" Akira pleads.

Goro shuts his eyes. His sleeping schedule is suffering by the minute and he'll be cranky tomorrow if he doesn't get enough sleep. He's already sacrificed his beauty routine for this baby. He's not going to sacrifice his sleep. _"You_ wanted to keep him, _you_ get the supplies. I have work tomorrow."

"But—"

Goro slams the door shut before Akira gets to finish talking. In a panic, Akira checks to see if the slam woke up the baby. He's still sleeping, fortunately. Must've gotten tired from all that crying he did on their doorstep. The poor thing. Akira walks over to him and gently grazes his fingers over the baby's little bald head. He probably should’ve expected this kind of behavior from his husband. He knows Goro only agreed to keeping the baby for the time being because he wanted to.

Of course Akira's brought up adopting a baby before. He's always wanted a family and told Goro as much. It's just part of Akira to be nurturing and caring. He’s got a lot of love to give. He wanted to come home and have someone run up to him and embrace him as if he'd been gone for days when he just came home from work. Naturally, this made Goro think at some point that he wasn't enough for Akira, which obviously is not at all the case. They've gotten past that already. Akira doubts having this baby here would result in jealousy from Goro's end, but he's still adamant about not wanting it. For what other reasons, Akira's not entirely sure.

He does know two things; One, he'd pick Goro over any baby; and two, he can't raise a baby on his own. So, if they do decide to take the baby in, it has to be a mutual decision. He's gotta convince Goro to take the baby in, somehow.

"Don't mind him. He'll come around, eventually. I hope, anyway." Akira whispers. "But now that you're here, I can't help but think about how that family I always wanted is just within reach. Cooperate with me, will you?"

The baby continues to snore.

"Yeah, didn't think so. I'm gonna go on a quick run to the convenience store. Be good, okay? Don't wake daddy Goro up."


	2. Finally Infant-less

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Alright. I'll look into any missing baby reports at work. Perhaps we can find her real family. If that turns out to be a bust, I'll look into adopting families so we can finally get her out of here." Goro says flatly. He doesn't want this baby to stay here any longer than she should.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am so absolutely floored by the love i've received from chapter 1. i legitimately wasn't expecting this to get so much traction and now im here to give chapter 2! now featuring the work of val, my shuake husband! he's the one who's been encouraging me nonstop and even contributing his ideas with certain scenes. please give him some love over on his [tumblr](https://valofastora.tumblr.com/)

Goro wakes up the next morning to see the empty spot on the bed beside him. Akira stayed with the child, didn't he? He better have gotten some sleep, though, otherwise Goro wouldn't know how many cups of coffee his husband will need to stay awake today. Akira's already grown tolerant from being a barista all these years. With mild concern for his husband, he gets up and walks to the living room to see Akira nursing the baby in his arms while he sways very slowly on Goro's rocking chair.

_ Ugh. _ He thinks to himself. The scene is too soft for him. He walks past them to head to their kitchen and checks the dining table for breakfast. He sighs when he sees that it's empty. Akira is the one who cooks in this house 'cause Goro would sooner set the kitchen on fire than be able to fry an egg. And yes, he's tried. It was then Akira banned him from turning on the stove without Akira's supervision and took it upon himself to take care of cooking the meals.

He walks over to where Akira was sleeping and nudges him lightly, afraid he'd wake the baby. "Akira?"

No response. "Ehem. Akira?" He asks a little louder. This causes Akira to stir.

Akira looks up to him quickly, as if just waking up from a nap. The rocking of the chair slowed to a near stop. "W-what? What time is it?"

"It's six in the morning. We have work."

Akira throws his head back. Enough to get the chair rocking again but not enough to wake the baby. "Oh shit. I'm sorry, I must've forgotten to charge my phone last night before sleeping. I went out for a supply run and when I got back I had to make sure she stopped crying." He says moving his feet to control the sway of the rocking chair.

"She?"

Akira smiles fondly at the child. "Yeah, I changed her diaper once and that's when I found out. She's a little girl."

Goro is hardly amused by this information. What are they going to do about it? Only exclusively buy pink supplies now? Colors are merely cosmetic. Either way,  _ he _ won't be buying supplies for her.

"So, breakfast?" He asks.

"I think there's still some leftovers in the fridge we can heat up."

Goro sighs for what seems like the hundredth time today and heads to the fridge. He rummages through the plastic tuppers for something to heat and he pulls out some day old waffles. After leaving them in the oven toaster, he brings out the jams and sets the table for eating.

"Are you going to be nursing that baby all day? Or are you going to eventually set her down so you can care for yourself once today?" Goro says bluntly, not really asking.

Akira smiles guiltily and gets up. He gently places the baby girl back into the pile of blankets he made inside her box. Hopefully she doesn't move around much. He doesn't want to rely on the box to keep her from falling on the floor.

Finally infant-less, he sits at the dining table with Goro already spreading strawberry jam and cream cheese on his waffle.

"So, are you taking a leave today? I highly doubt you're in any shape to work with those bags under your eyes."

Akira groans. "Ugh, maybe I will. I wasn't exactly preparing to care for a baby all of a sudden."

"Alright. I'll look into any missing baby reports at work. Perhaps we can find her real family. If that turns out to be a bust, I'll look into adopting families so we can finally get her out of here." Goro says flatly. He doesn't want this baby to stay here any longer than she should.

Akira looks at his waffles solemnly. He's not going to stop Goro from doing that, that's what they agreed on after all. Although, he can't ignore that pit in his stomach that hopes that Goro doesn't find anything.

If there’s one thing that Goro’s learned during his time together with Akira is that, Akira’s an open book. He doesn’t have much to hide and whatever he doesn’t say, he shows on his face. It’s very clear to Goro that he’s not happy about the discussion, especially considering what he had gone through last night.

"Akira, please try not to get attached." Goro says as he places his hand on Akira's. "I know kids are your soft spot, but I cannot take care of a child. I don't have the time nor the energy to give it what it needs. The last thing I want to do is pry this child out of your hands."

Akira looks at him sadly. "Alright."

* * *

Goro gets to work without a hitch despite the mildly downhearted breakfast he had with Akira. If this is what the baby is going to do to him and Akira, then he wants her a lot less now, not that there was any wanting to begin with.

He sees Sae in her office, looking regal as ever upon entering his workplace. She's still a defense attorney after all these years, but not one who isn't well-respected and accomplished. She's helped hundreds of people over the years, and saved countless minors from abuse and growing up in the streets. She made sure they all had homes to go back to with opportunities to take. If anybody could help him, she might.

"Good morning, Sae-san." He greets, knocking on her already open door. 

"Ah, good morning, Akechi-kun. Have you gone over the cases I sent you? I have a sneaking suspicion that some of them may be connected to each other. There might be some patterns only you can find." Sae says without looking up from her desktop.

"Ah," Goro nods, remembering the files she emailed him yesterday. "I'll go through them today. Actually, Sae-san, may I have a word with you?" He asks.

This question makes Sae look up from her screen. She nods silently and Goro sits down on one of the seats by her desk, placing his suitcase on the floor.

"Would you mind looking for families looking to adopt an infant?"

Sae's eyes widen. "Adopt an infant? What for?"

Goro sighs. "Someone left an infant on our doorstep last night."

"What?"

"I wish I was joking. Akira's at home right now, taking care of it. He took a leave from work over this baby, and I fear he might be growing attached to it— him—  _ her.” _ Goro grimaces. He remembers how the baby was sleeping in Akira's arms this morning. "I'm going to go over the missing people database to see if any infants had gone missing recently. Although, seeing as this child seems unwanted in the first place, I went ahead and thought of looking for potential families instead."

Sae takes a pensive sip from her tumbler-mug. It's a silver tumbler with a black plastic cover and handle, and it can keep its contents hot or cold for hours. It was a gift from Akira for one of her birthdays. Goro has the same one except his is red. 

"From what you've told me, it sounds like Akira wants to keep it. What is your stance on the matter?" She asks.

Goro rolls his eyes dejectedly. "Ugh, I know Akira wants to keep it. I've known the second he laid his eyes on her," Goro groans. "But I don't. I never thought about having children, ever, and I never planned for one. I have an aching feeling that Akira and I are going to have an immensely ugly fight over this." He says running his fingers through his hair. His hairstyle be damned.

"I think you two have been through worse, to be honest…” Sae whispers a little too loudly.

Goro’s eyes shoot up. “Excuse me?”

“Nothing!” Sae says quickly. “I meant, it sounds like this is something you and him will have to settle first. I can begin going over potential families, but I'll hold the list until you and Akira come to a mutual agreement on the matter." Sae says placing her tumbler-mug on her desk.

Goro looks at her in shock and raises his voice slightly. "What? Why? I don't see any reason for you to do that. I am  _ not _ going to change my mind about this."

Sae glares at him. "You're not the only one in this relationship, Akechi-kun. You're known to be impulsive when your mind is set on something, which is why I'm having difficulty recommending you for chief detective."

Goro grits his teeth. He's been gunning for that position for several months already, but he knows she’s right. He just doesn't want to have to face how upset he knows Akira will be when they do eventually give up the baby. There is no way he's going to keep her. 

"Understood, Sae-san. I'll talk to Akira."

Sae looks back to her desktop. "Good. Let me know how that goes. I'll look into orphanages as well in case families aren't looking for children like her. Can you tell me how old she is?"

"From the looks of it, she seems to only be a few months old. Still very small and very fragile. Her eyes are still almost always closed." Goro looks at his feet. Remembering how peaceful she looked when she was sleeping and how Akira was able to support both her head and her neck with just one hand. He seemed like such a natural, honestly. There's no doubt he'd be a good dad. Goro on the other hand? He'd be terrible.

"Goodness," Sae purses her lips. "So young. Do you need help caring for her at home? Has she shown any signs of illness?" She asks.

"None that I noticed, but Akira will take care of it. He wanted to take in the baby, he'll take care of her." He says bluntly.

Sae takes a particularly long sip of her coffee. "Well, I wish you and him luck. Now, I need to return to work. If you'll excuse me,"

Without needing any further instruction, Goro takes his leave.

Sae watches him go from the corner of her eye. She'd normally press more regarding the situation but she knows how Goro gets when people pry or try to take control of him, but forcing him to talk to Akira and holding the information he wanted hostage was pushing it already. Perhaps it's better to leave it at that. They're both adults. They'll get through it. Hopefully, anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> come talk to me over on [twitter](https://twitter.com/_sushimi)!
> 
> art by [val](https://valofastora.tumblr.com/)


	3. it's not like you planned for this or anything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryuji grins. "That's great, man! Being a dad can be tough, but it's an amazing experience. Especially when you have a great partner." He smiles towards Ann, who sticks her tongue out at him.
> 
> "But, why you soundin' like you're gonna let her go, though?" He follows up.
> 
> Akira blinks up at them with slightly watery eyes. "Goro doesn't want her,"
> 
> "Ah, well, that's a problem," Ryuji states flatly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> weeeeeeeeee get ready for some hurt/comfort in this chapter. it's been a rough past several days but i've gathered the energy to continue writing. i hope you guys enjoy!

As soon as Goro left for work Akira felt bad. He's always eager and happy to have Goro rely on him for things, but today he couldn't provide. But Goro didn't seem mad about that. If anything he seemed more upset at Akira for sacrificing his well-being for the baby.

_ That's it _ . When Goro comes home, he'll prepare his husband's favorite food. The baby will be asleep and quiet, and he and Goro can enjoy a lovely evening together. He loves being able to provide for Goro and having Goro rely on him, so this morning was a little rough on both of them. He's gonna have to remedy that tonight.

His determination is put to a halt when he hears crying. He strides towards the little girl flailing in her pile of blankets. She may still be small but her flailing had moved the blankets around enough to cause the box to deform. She's gonna need a real crib if she keeps this up.

He looks over to the supplies he got last night. Milk, bottles, spare towels, and diapers. They only cover her immediate needs. No bed, no pacifier, no... What else does a baby need? Surely that can't be it, but Akira doesn't know how to raise a baby. He carries her in his arms and pats her back while rocking back and forth. Hopefully this will calm her down.

It doesn't.

She's still crying as loud as ever. It can't be the diaper, he changed it shortly before Goro came to wake him up for breakfast. Was she hungry? No, he'd been bottle feeding her all night. She can't be hungry again, can she?

He decides to call his most experienced friend.

While holding the baby in one arm and letting her rest against his shoulder, his other hand is busy looking for Ann's number on his phone. The baby's crying still hasn't dissipated. He wonders if Ann will drop the call the moment she hears it.

"Hello?" A melodic voice greets.

Akira grins. He missed her.

"Ann! I—" He stops mid-sentence. The baby's wailing somehow got louder. She's outright yelling by now.

"... Akira? Is that a baby?"

He groans helplessly. "Yes."

"Did you call because you needed help with it?"

Akira pouts. When she put it that way it sounded like he didn't actually want to call her for her but rather for her help. "Yes, but I really do miss you, Ann. I just need—" More wailing. "—help."

Ann makes a noise that Akira can't place. It's either a sigh or a snicker and he sure hopes it's the latter.

"Hold on for a moment," She asks before the line goes silent. He can hear her muffled voice faintly talking to someone. Probably Ryuji.

Akira stands there for what seems like hours. The baby is still crying so loudly. He wonders if the neighbors will send complaints down eventually. He focuses on swaying slowly and bouncing slightly. That's a thing, right? Bouncing while you carry a baby? He's seen people do it and he feels like it should work. It doesn't, though. Still crying.

"Okay, I'm back," She declares and Akira feels like his sanity depends on her answer.

"What do you already have?" She asks.

"Uhhhhhhhh," Akira sweats, while reiterating what he bought from the convenience store last night. He was in a rush. He just bought everything that was available at 777 hoping it'd be enough until he could do a proper supply run.

"That's it?" Ann asks, sounding baffled.

Akira confirms ashamedly.

"Alright, then. We'll come over in an hour." She says, and Akira feels like a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders. "To settle the crying, if you haven't already tried changing diapers or feeding, try gently raising the baby over your shoulder and rub its back. This will either make it burp or vomit. Either way, it should settle whatever's upsetting the baby."

Akira gasps at the new information. He didn't know babies had to be burped manually. "Thank you, Ann, I'll give it a try." And immediately after he finishes his sentence, the baby wails again.

Ann giggles. "We'll be there soon. Hang tight, alright?"

She drops the call as the baby's wailing ensues. Hopefully that hour doesn't last that long.

Two new shirts and an hour later, Ann and Ryuji knock on the door, and they brought a lot of stuff. Ann gasps at the sight of the sleeping baby on Akira's shoulder. "It worked?" She whisper-shouts.

Akira nods lightly with a smile and gives them space to bring in their supplies. He sees several bags of what look like toiletries and towels, a— he gasps.  _ A crib. _ He looks at it with intense relief. He can say goodbye to the box and finally put her down without worrying. He mouths for them to set up the crib first and they do just that. It feels weird for Akira to just stand there while his friends do the work, but he can't really do much now, can he?

It doesn't take long, and they set it up nicely in him and Goro's bedroom. It's a small crib, enough to hold one baby. It's yellow with little cartoon ducks on the frame and railings. Akira stops himself from making a joke about lemonade stands and grapes. He guesses he'll just have to teach her the song one day.

Ann places the cushion on the crib along with some blankets and a small pillow, then gestures for Akira to put the baby inside. While awkwardly holding her head and her body, he gingerly places her on the comfort of foam and cotton. Finally baby-free, he stretches and sighs heavily.

"Man, what a workout." He says softly.

"You haven't experienced the worst of it," Ryuji snickers flexing his toned biceps. "Try three at a time."

Akira grimaces at the thought. He's barely managing with one. What more three?

Ryuji puts his arm around Akira's shoulder. "You'll get the hang of it. C'mon, let's move out to the living room where we can talk and not worry about waking any loud babies."

Akira glances back at her with worry. "Will she be okay?" He asks. Apart from his convenience store run last night, he hasn't left her side. She'll be alone in this room. What if she wakes up and somehow manages to crawl over the railing? What if she chokes on her own spit and can't cry and she'll choke and nobody will know until it's too late? What if—

Ann grabs his face and makes him turn to her. "She'll be okay. Trust us. Just breathe,"

Akira gulps, closes his eyes, and breathes in deeply. He's the least experienced one here, so perhaps he should let them take the reigns for a bit. He can just check on her every now and then to be sure. He exhales and heads for the door. Ann and Ryuji follow suit.

_ Maybe _ he'll leave the door open. Just in case.

Akira leaves the bedroom door ajar then heads into the living room. He practically crashes into Goro's rocking chair while Ann and Ryuji settle into the couch.

"You didn't tell us you were adopting a baby," Ann states. Only sounding mildly accusing.

"We didn't. Someone left her on our doorstep last night." Akira says flatly.

The blondes' eyes widen.

"What? Who would do such a thing?" Ryuji asks disbelievingly.

Akira shrugs. "I dunno. Goro thinks she's about 2-3 months old. I'm thinking the mother couldn't take care of her so she left her in the hands of a couple who might."

Ann looks at Ryuji with concern. "Speaking of, where is Goro?" She asks.

"He's at work. He's... looking for missing baby reports," Akira says sinking in slightly into the cushion of the rocking chair.

Ryuji nods. "Smart guy. If there's a family out there that's looking for her, she should go back to them."

Ryuji has a point, and Akira does agree. Whether or not he wants there to be a family looking for her though, is something else entirely.

"What if he doesn't find one though? What are you guys gonna do? It sure doesn't look like you planned for this baby," Ann asks leaning forward.

Akira doesn't know if he should say it. He's not sure if he wants to admit that he and Goro aren't on the same page with the baby. He hasn't wanted anything this badly since... Since he thought Goro died.

"Akira?"

Akira puts his head in his hands fearing about where the conversation is heading. "I want to keep her. I want to be a dad. I've spent one evening with her and I feel like my heart will shatter if we let her go."

Ryuji grins. "That's great, man! Being a dad can be tough, but it's an amazing experience. Especially when you have a great partner." He smiles towards Ann, who sticks her tongue out at him.

"But, why you soundin' like you're gonna let her go, though?" He follows up. 

Akira likes being honest about his feelings but he doesn't enjoy having  _ these _ specific feelings. If they give her up for adoption, he feels like they'll lose something really important. Like it's some once in a lifetime opportunity that they'll never get again. It's stupid. He knows it's stupid, but he can't help but feel attached to this little girl whose name he doesn't even know. Akira blinks up at them with slightly watery eyes. "Goro doesn't want her,"

"Ah, well, that's a problem," Ryuji states flatly.

Akira starts sniffling. He's so used to being the group's rock. Being the one person who's stable and emotionally intact, but now, he just feels so helpless. The last time he was this vulnerable was during his wedding with Goro. It was easier then, though. He didn't need to feel ashamed about loving him. "I don't know what to do, guys. I love Goro with everything I have but this baby... Even if I did agree to give her up, I don't want to think about what awaits her. She'll have to go to an orphanage. Goro knows how awful the system is, which begs the question: Why  _ doesn't _ he want her? You'd think he of all people would understand and be the first to take her in, but no."

Ann hums. "Well, honestly, I don't think he wants to give her up. If anything, I think it's the opposite. But, I think it's more of a question of whether he's willing to disrupt the calm life he has with you or if he's willing to give her up."

Akira hugs his knees and starts crying. "Doesn't he want a family with me—" He sniffles. "Of course, I love our life together too, b-but..." He wipes his eyes.

Ann and Ryuji let him cry for a moment. It seems like he needs to let it out.

"I don't know what to do..." Akira murmurs in between sobs.

With a sigh, Ryuji stands up and heads over to the rocking chair where Akira was sitting. "Alright, c'mere," With hardly any effort, Ryuji carries him bridal style. Guess raising three children  _ is _ a good workout.

Akira's sobbing face looks up at him with wide eyes, unable to voice the question that's stuck in his throat. Ryuji places him on the couch with his head resting on Ann's lap. He raises Akira's legs and sits back down on the couch, placing his legs on his lap.

Akira blinks up at them, unsure what to say or do, but his eyes close and he practically purrs when Ann strokes his hair and Ryuji awkwardly pats his legs.

"Akira, I know it's gonna be hard, but you'll have to talk to him. Try to get his full reasoning and come up with a decision you'll both settle with." Ann strokes his cheek. "'Cause based on how it looks now, you'll only end up fighting."

Akira just looks up at the ceiling. His sobbing has settled with now just occasional hitches in his breath. He's afraid of confronting Goro about it. He's already so emotional as it is. He might just break down again if he does.

Ryuji rubs his thumb on Akira's calves. "Yeah, man. If there's anything my relationship with Ann taught me it's that you guys have to talk about things. Don't leave things hanging,"

Their little consoling session is brought to a halt when a faint noise of a crying baby is heard. Akira immediately shoots up from his spot on Ann's lap and bolts for the bedroom.

He's greeted with a very foul stench. It looks like someone needs changing. He takes a mental note to spray the room with air freshener later, lest he add anymore stress on Goro.

"Poo-wee! Someone got busy here," Ryuji states. "Ann and I brought some supplies. I'll bring them over."

While Ryuji heads back out to get some of the supplies, Ann gets a blanket and sets it on the bed. "Here, this will make sure she doesn't get any rashes from other cloth materials and it'll protect your bed from any additional excrements."

Akira places the little baby on the blanket and gets to work removing her soiled diaper.

Ryuji comes back with a bag. "Alright! Here. We got several sizes of diapers since we didn't know how big she was. There's a washcloth, some baby powder, and wet wipes in here too. This is what we call the poopoopeepee bag."

Ann facepalms. "You mean it's what  _ you _ call the poopoopeepee bag. You're such a dingus."

"What?" Ryuji asks with a grin. "It's a good name! It's for poopoo and for peepee. Two in one!"

Ann giggles. "Still a dingus, but yes, it's got the essentials for diaper changing. Ryuji and I can vouch for these diapers too, so you shouldn't worry about her stinking up the room next time."

Akira smiles. He's still not feeling too good from his crying session earlier but he's functioning enough to focus on the baby. As soon as Akira takes the diaper off, her sobs quiet down and she starts looking around.

"Hey there, buddy!" Ryuji coos. "A loud little baby, aren't ya?"

She gurgles in response.

"God, I love her already," Ryuji exclaims while putting his chin on the edge of the bed.

Ann gently lays on the bed near the baby's head and watches over her. The baby tries to reach for Ann's blonde pigtails but only ends up flailing her arms in her general direction.

"Oh? You like my hair? Here," Ann hands over a small portion of her pigtail to tickle the baby's palm. She opens her mouth and a small "Aaa?" sound comes out. Akira feels like his heart is going to burst.

"Does she have a name?" Ryuji asks poking the baby's palm with his finger.

Akira shakes his head solemnly. "Goro said no names otherwise we'll get attached..."  _ A little late for that. _ He thinks. He was a goner the moment someone decided their doorstep was the best option.

Ryuji looks up at him with empathy. He doesn't know how to answer that so instead he focuses on the cute baby who is looking at him with bright eyes.

Akira finishes changing her diaper, he lifts her up into his arms and carries her out to the living room. "So, what did you guys bring? I just realized we didn't get to discuss that yet,"

Ryuji runs past him to the set of bags by the counter, thankful for the new topic and change in mood. "Ah, you see Ann and I were concerned when you told her that you only had a bottle and diapers from your supply run last night. Which isn't your fault, 'cause it's not like you planned for this or anything, but we figured we could lend you some of the stuff we don't use anymore."

* * *

It's around four in the afternoon when Ann and Ryuji leave. Ryuji swayed and fed the baby to sleep while Ann and Akira sorted through the things they brought which included some blankets, small pillows, baby wash, clothes, bottles, a milk warmer, and a lot of diapers. Akira can hardly believe how kind and understanding he is. Whether or not the baby will be staying here for long, she'll be taken care of. Speaking of... He needs to make-up for breakfast.

He decides to start making some of Goro's favorite food: zaru soba and black coffee.

It's a very simple dish but Goro likes it because it's what his mother used to make him when he was small. They didn't have a lot of money or free time so she made soba a lot. It was easy, and didn't really risk burning the house down. Apparently, she wasn't too good at cooking either.

Akira boils the water and starts chopping the green onion. Goro may have simple tastes in food, but he's very picky about his coffee. It's got to be full-bodied black brew that's made with a fresh grind.

Akira's going to put all his love and effort into this meal. He really hopes Goro enjoys it. It's a longshot, but maybe enough to let them keep the baby?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> come talk to me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/_sushimi)  
> 

**Author's Note:**

> Hey y'all! You might've seen me tweet this as it i made progress and I decided to put it here for people to easily find and so i can properly edit and proofread. Val's been motivating me nonstop to continue writing this au and im genuinely in love with the concept.
> 
> Talk to me on Twitter at @_sushimi
> 
> EDIT: I've received comments regarding content warnings. I'm sorry if I triggered anybody with my writing and I've added warnings in the author's note as well as added specific tags. I'm fairly new to fictional writing and not the best at it. I will be rewriting some chapters a bit and try to write better in future chapters to reflect the story I want to tell better.


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